Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for June 19-25

A big week for defending the health care system against the Senate's demolition derby in search of funds to cut rich people's taxes. Plus actions in our widening array of local chapters, building out into statewide action. Read on...

A big week for the effort to keep health care in the US from going down the tubes. Note that the Baltimore Business Journalreports on a university study finding that the AHCA, the supposed “replacement” for ACA (Obamacare) would likely cost the state of Maryland $2.4 billion.

Progressive Maryland’s Maryland Guaranteed Health Care Campaign, launched late last week, is poised to fight back against this ruinous plan, which would throw tens of millions of people off their existing coverage in order to cut taxes for the already-wealthy. Follow the link to take part.

This Wednesday, many progressive groups including Progressive Maryland will be heading for Capitol Hill to slow the Senate version of AHCA and remind wavering Senators that they have really, really angry people at home who don’t buy this plan in the least. See more at that link also; plans are in formation as the Memo prepares for launch.

What’s happening:

Reposted from Monday morning’s UNION CITY:Holy Cross nurses rally tonight (Monday, June 19) for reinstated worker: Registered nurses at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring will rally tonight to welcome back oncology RN Edith Saffa, who was fired in April for her patient advocacy and support of the union organizing effort at the hospital. "I'm excited to get back to work and will continue speaking up for improved conditions so that my patients get the quality care they deserve," said Saffa, who has worked at Holy Cross for 13 years. "I'm standing strong because I have the support of my colleagues and National Nurses United. I feel confident that we'll persevere in our efforts to strengthen our patient advocacy by forming a union here. My reinstatement shows we have rights that protect us so that we can gain collective bargaining rights." [Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO]

Progressive Maryland believes in the well-being, health and quality of life for every Maryland resident. Rich or poor, young or old, employed or unemployed. We believe that healthcare is a human right, and that giving tax breaks to the rich while everyone else suffers is disastrous for us all. That is why Progressive Maryland is launching the Maryland for Guaranteed Healthcare campaign! Please sign up to volunteer and share with your chapters! We are also planning an action next Weds 6/21 - stay tuned for details! http://www.progressivemaryland.org/mdforguaranteedhealthcare

Friday, June 23rd until Sunday, June 25thProgressive Maryland’s 3-Day candidate training for progressive candidates and campaign staff … We are having a Movement Politics Leadership Training in Prince George's, Maryland. Movement politics is the process of fighting for a democracy where people - not corporations - set the agenda, and where we all have a voice. In towns and neighborhoods across the country, we hold conversations with voters about the issues of the day and the world we’re fighting to build. We train volunteers to knock on neighbors’ doors and transform their communities into a force at the polls. We ask candidates tough questions and secure policy commitments. And, crucially, we help leaders in our movement transition from community activist to elected office, transforming our political system town by town and state by state. Our training will teach you the skills to move people around the issues. Contact: Alexiss Kurtz Movement Politics Director alexiss@progressivemaryland.org to see if your campaign qualifies to attend Progressive Maryland’s 3-Day Candidate training.

Progressive Prince George’s

Deep Canvassing

In towns and neighborhoods across the country, we hold conversations with voters about the issues of the day and the world we’re fighting to build. We train volunteers to knock on the doors of neighbors and transform their communities into a force at the polls. We ask candidates tough questions and secure policy commitments. If you are interested in being a part of this movement of transformational canvassing, please reach out to Amity Pope, Lead Organizer amity.pope@gmail.com

We are looking for a point person for each County Council District. This team will mobilize when needed to advocate with their councilperson on a progressive issue, or to support new candidates for the office. If you are interested in this, please reach out to Diane Teichert, County Council Lead revdteichert@gmail.com.

Also:Take Action AAC is partnering with March On Maryland for the Protect Our Care rally on July 29th in Annapolis. More details coming soon.

Progressive MoCo:

Wednesday, June 28th Progressive MoCo Happy Hour 6-8 p.m. We hope that you all you enjoyed our very first Montgomery County Chapter District 5 Happy Hour last month! It was so great to meet so many amazing, passionate, talented people in our own backyard here in Council District 5. Bridges were built, collaborations were born, neighbors met their neighbors and a good time was had by all. Join us as we keep the conversation going on Wednesday, June 28th at Denizen’s in Silver Spring. Relax, socialize and network with your fellow progressives as we plan to move Montgomery County forward! If you weren’t able to attend our previous event, please come on out to meet your neighbors, find out about what Progressive Maryland is doing in Montgomery County, and let us know what you’d like out of your county chapter and district team. Event Details: Date: June 28th Time: 6-8 p.m. Location: Denizen's Brewing Co. (1115 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD, 20910) RSVP: http://www.progressivemaryland.org/junehhOr on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1407974779285707/?active_tab=about

Monday, June 19 film: “I Learn America” vegan meal at 6:30, free program at 7 p.m. “Reel & Meal at the New Deal” Cafe, 113 Centerway, Greenbelt. This film follows five immigrant teenagers at an international school in Brooklyn as they face the fear of deportation and learn about their new home. Discussion will explore ways we can help ease the path of local immigrants.

Friday, June 23 Film and Discussion on a “Medicare for All” Healthcare System 7:30 pm, Greenbelt Community Center room 114 View Fix It: Healthcare at the Tipping Point to learn how a single-payer U.S. public health insurance system would advance social justice and economic efficiency and why many consumers and businesses like this proposed reform. Discussion will cover ways we can engage now in making this vision a reality. Co-sponsored by Healthcare is a Human Right-Prince George’s and Prince George’s County Peace & Justice Coalition- contact justpeacepg@earthlink.net.

Sunday, June 25: Join Progressive Cheverly as we celebrate with our annual summer picnic. All are welcome. Please bring a dish to share. We will provide burgers, veggie burgers, hot dogs, rolls, condiments and soft drinks. BYOB. 3- 6 p.m. in Boyd Park (intersection of 64th Ave. and State St.), Cheverly. If you have never been there, Boyd Park has play equipment for children, so bring the whole family. There are picnic benches, but if you have some extra beach chairs, bring them as well.

It all happens for free… right? Not exactly. Organizing for change in our society and our high-maintenance politics requires both people and money. Keep change moving with a quick, secure impulse-buy contribution here.

BLOG POSTS THIS WEEK

Reading the Progressive Maryland BlogSpace: our blogs for the previous week are shown below, but if you want a handy way to keep track – and never miss a blog post – you can sign up to get this Weekly Memo by email. Remember this is your blogspace and your participation is heartily invited. See something going on that you don’t like – or that you do like and hope to see more of? Send us your thoughts; submit to the moderator at woodlanham@gmail.com

The UK parliamentary system and its elections seem bizarre to us sometimes. But the comeback of Labour fueled by voters' totally having had it with austerity and with the rule of the banker-backed privileged class rings true to us. As PM blogger Dylan Shelton shows, it echoes the Sanders campaign and lets us know that working peoples' demands cannot be safely ignored by even the most secure-feeling politicians.

The core of HoCo County Executive Kittleman's argument for a veto is that public financing of elections allows your tax dollars to be used in support of candidates you don't personally support. This is a weak, erroneous, and misleading argument in a number of ways, as Progressive HoCo activist Dave Bazell makes clear. For one thing, it was passed by voters. How much more evidence of a "collective priority" does he need?

Progressive Maryland staffers and activists have returned pretty stoked from the People’s Summit in Chicago this past weekend, where progressives from around the country strategized for victory in the age of Trump. A comprehensive blueprint for progressive change will emerge organically from that event as folks go home and apply those lessons to local issues and conditions.

Keeping up with the blogs is easier with the index. The blogs published in the PM BlogSpace since June 2015 are all available with descriptions and links here.